Insanity
by TheCagedBird19
Summary: Before joining the group outside of Atlanta, Daryl and Merle meet a pair of sisters and team up with them. How will this change the way things have gone in the series? Read and find out. Starts just before the series does. Older Man/Younger Woman pairing. Don't like, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

The girls sat at their small camp fire eating the last of the protein bars that they had. They kept the fire low and tried to remain as vigilant as possible. They sang softly to pass the time, songs that they loved before the end of the world. They became so wrapped up in their activities that they.

"Well, well, what do we have here."

The girls gasped and whipped around to where the strange voice had come from. Out of the trees stepped two men.

"A couple of little songbirds?" The slightly older of the two was the one who spoke.

He was an older looking man with a shaved head of brown hair that was slightly starting to gray at the ends, and scruffy gray stubble. He wore a black wife beater under a beat up leather biker vest with a pair of dirty bloodstained jeans. In a holster at his side was a pair of hunting knives.

His companion, who had yet to speak, looked slightly younger and had a crossbow in his hands. His hair was cropped short and was brown as well, though without any gray's, and he had a near matching but slightly thicker stubble. He wore a faded jean looking button up vest with the sleeves ripped off and a pair of dirty jeans.

"Are ya gonna speak, girlies?"

The girls noticed then that he spoke with a thick southern accent. The girls snapped out or their momentary trance then. They reached for their weapons, an axe for one and a machete for the other, and swiftly stood up. The men exchanged a glance and then raised their arms up in a gesture of surrender.

"Woah, woah. We don't want any trouble, now." The older one spoke again.

The girls kept their weapons raised. The men in front of them looked pretty dangerous. They couldn't afford to let their guard down.

"Who are you and what do you want?" The eldest of the girls asked, stepping in front of her companion as if to protect her from the men.

The older man opened his mouth to speak, but the younger one spoke first. He knew his older companion would only agitate the women further and decided to take action.

"We're just some survivors, like yourselves, looking to trade supplies." He said, placing his crossbow away on his back to show he meant no harm.

He held up a bundle of dead rabbits on a rope.

"We have meat, if you have medical supplies."

The girls lowered their weapons slightly. The younger one moved and whispered in her companion's ear. The older looked at the men sternly for a moment before glancing back at the younger and sighing. She nodded slightly. The younger girl smiled and walked toward the men, extending her hand.

"I'm Eliza Sandoval, and this is my older sister Angelica." She said, gesturing to the girl behind her.

"Names Merle Dixon." The older man said. "Guy behind me's my brother, Daryl."

He took the hand she offered. Both Merle and Eliza marveled at the feel of each other's hand. Soft and gentle felt wonderful against calloused and rough.

Eliza released Merle's hand and motioned for her sister to come forward. Angelica reluctantly did so, shaking Merle's hand and then moving to shake Daryl's once Eliza finished doing so.

Once done, the pairs stepped away from each other. Angelica walked back to the fire and grabbed some cans she had by the chairs.

"Well, I'll get started on dinner then." She said, glancing back at the others.

"Awesome." Eliza stated, walking over to the chairs and taking a seat in one."I'm starved."

"I can butcher the rabbits so we can cook them faster." Daryl offered, stepping forward.

He wanted to be of some help to their new allies.

Angelica smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. She was happy to have help with dinner. Eliza was hopeless when it came to cooking.

"I have some extra knives in our tent that we can use to cook with. Better than reusing our hunting knives, in my opinion." Angelica suggested.

"Alright." Daryl agreed.

Merle seeing an opportunity, took that moment to walk over and take the empty seat next to Eliza.

"How old are you girls anyway?" Merle asked, eyeing Eliza appreciatively.

"My sister is 23. I'm 22. What about you?" Eliza replied, blushing as she noticed Merle's wandering eyes.

"Near old as dirt compared to you, sugar." He motioned to himself. "I'm just about 52. Daryl's near 43."

"That's hardly what i'd call old, Merle." She said with a giggle. "You act like you're 100."

Merle let out a chuckle.

"Besides, i like older men anyway."

He choked on his laughter. He hadn't expected that to come out of her mouth, but damn if he was gonna miss a chance to flirt with a fine piece of ass like her.

She was the most gorgeous thing he had come across, before and after the end of the world. She was shorter than him by just enough, a few inches to make him feel like he could dominate her. Which, of course, was his favorite thing to do to pretty girls like her. Her hair was made of long black wavy locks that fell just past her shoulders. He couldn't help but want to run his fingers through and pull it. Her eyes were a brilliant warm brown that glowed in the light of the fire. Her body is what he couldn't keep his eyes off of, though. She had radiant tanned skin and was dressed in tight, black and red striped yoga pants and a red tank top. The pants hugged her ass in all the right ways, and her black bra was visible on the long sides of the shirt. Her cleavage alone was enough to make his mouth water.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Merle smirked.

"Like what ya see of old Merle then, sugar?" He asked.

"I might." Eliza murmured, leaning toward him.

Merle was about to speak again, but the others returned.

Daryl walked over to his brother and began showing him the meat they'd managed to get off the rabbits. The men began to stick the meat on skewers and place them over the fire, distracting them from the women. Angelica took notice of her sister's flushed face and Merle's shit eating grin as she places the cooked food and pans on the ground.. She knew something was up, and she had an idea of just what it was.

"Eliza, can you help me get the bowls and plates?" She asked, making sure to keep suspicion out of her tone.

"Sure." Eliza agreed, standing up and following her sister to the tents.

"Were you flirting with that old redneck?" Angelica asked, bluntly.

Eliza stood still in shock for a moment. Of course Angelica would notice right away, she thought.

"What? Me? No. Never. What even is flirting?" Eliza said, awkwardly looking at her hands.

Angelica sighed. Looking at her hands and being an awkward dweeb was Eliza's tell when she lied.

"Control yourself, Liza, please. You're not some horny teenager. We don't know if they can be trusted." She said, placing a hand on her sister's arm.

"Cmon, Angel. These are the first men we've come across in a long time. Screw the fact that they're way older, they're hot." Eliza tried to reason.

Angelica shook her head.

"Elizabeth Rose Sandoval, I mean it."

Eliza sighed. Angelica only used her full name when she was REALLY serious.

"Okay, okay." She relented. "I'll behave."

Angelica looked her sister in the eyes and nodded when she saw no deception there.

The girls gathered the plates and walked back to the fire. They noted that Merle had found a log for him and his brother to sit on, while Daryl had finished cooking up the meat. They sat around the fire eating in silence for a while. Surprisingly, Daryl was the first person to speak up.

"What were y'all before the end of it all?" Daryl asked.

"I was a chef at a restaurant in our hometown. Eliza was a school nurse in training." Angelica replied.

Merle looked up, his interest piqued.

"A nurse, eh?" He asked.

Eliza, mouth full of food, nodded.

"Did ya own a cute little uniform n' everything?"

Eliza swallowed her food and then busted out into a laugh. Her laughter was infectious, and the others soon joined her.

"Believe it or not, Merle, but nurses don't dress in real life the way they do in porn." Eliza joked.

"Damn, that's a shame." He muttered..

They fell back into silence for a moment before Merle began to speak. He wasn't one for silence. Unless he was hunting or tracking, he didn't like being left alone with his thoughts. He began telling wild stories from his and Daryl's lives before the end. They had been construction workers who did odd handyman jobs around their small hometown.

"Once got high as a kite when I was younger and went streaking 'round the whole park. Gave the neighbors a real good show, i'll tell ya. Poor lil' Daryl here had to wrangle my crazy ass up and drag me back to the trailer."

The girls giggled as Merle began to imitate the reactions of some of his neighbors. Daryl cracked a smile. He was pleased that they were getting along so well. It was rare that him and Merle found anyone that would take a shine to 'em. Especially a pair of pretty young women. He began to get an idea then.

Daryl cleared his throat to get everyone's attention as Merle's story came to an end.

"I'd say tonight's gone pretty good. Y'all agree?" He asked.

The girls nodded slowly, confused as to why Daryl was asking such a question. Merle exchanged a look with his brother and nodded his head. He knew exactly what Daryl was planning and he approved, and not just because he wanted a chance to have a go at Eliza. The girls would be good to have around. They'd come in handy, and having a bigger group could be beneficial.

"I know y'all still don't trust us, but I wanna ask something." He continued. "I think we should team up. For a while, at least. Y'all have good skills and so do we."

The girls were honestly shocked. They hadn't expected this. Angelica looked at Eliza for her response. Eliza shrugged.

"It's up to you, Ang." She said.

Everyone's eyes turned to Angelica then. She was the one with the answer.

"Daryl I-" Angelica began.

"Ya don't have to. Won't force ya, but it could be good." He interrupted, growing a bit flustered.

He wasn't used to asking people for help. Hell, he was surprised Merle even remotely agreed. Dixons didn't do teamwork or asking for help from people who weren't kin. They were loners for the most part.

"Give me time to think. Let me sleep on it. You guys can spend the night in our camp, and I'll give you my answer in the morning. Okay?" She finished.

Daryl nodded.

Things grew slightly awkward after that. Everyone finished dinner and separated. Angelica headed back to her tent, while Eliza showed Merle and Daryl their extra equipment. She left them to set up their tent while she went to clean up the area around the fire. Soon, everything was put away and cleaned up and they all bid each other goodnight.

The others all slept peacefully, well as peacefully as one can sleep with the living dead roaming around, but Angelica was wide awake. She had a big decision to make. She was far less weary of the Dixon's than she originally was, but she didn't know if she should risk partnering with them. They seemed rather volatile.

She then thought back to the conversation she and Daryl had when they had been preparing dinner. He had paused his movements of skinning the rabbits and called out to her.

"We ain't dangerous, yknow." He said.

"What?" She asked, unsure if she had heard him correctly.

"We won't hurt y'all. We ain't that kinda people." He explained. "Merle's a bit rough 'round the edges, but we're good."

He sounded so nervous and genuine. Angelica felt a small smile make its way onto her lips. Daryl really didn't seem all that bad. He just seemed like a rather shy guy. Merle wasn't too bad either. A bit crazy sure, but funny.

Angelica sighed as she lay herself onto her back. She'd made her decision. She just hoped it was the right one.

The brothers awoke first the next morning, the girls shortly after. They got ready for the day, and then gathered by the empty fire pit. Angelica stood in front of everyone and announced her decision.

"I think it's in all of our best interest if we stick together."

Eliza let out a squeal of excitement. Daryl flinched and Merle covered his ears at the sound.

"Dammit, girl. Stop making that ruckus." Merle muttered.

Angelica rolled her eyes at their antics. Please God, let me have made the right decision, she thought.

From that day forward the Dixon's and Sandoval's became inseparable. They traveled together, camped together, and worked together in relative harmony. They knew it wouldn't last forever, though. They would need to find a safe place with more living people and better supplies and quick. Spring was coming to an end. They'd need to find fresh water for the summer heat.


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl and Merle Dixon were not the most well liked people at the camp. In fact, they were the second most disliked people. Only falling second due to Ed Peletier's abusive nature. Their companions, the Sandoval sisters, were well liked enough. The Dixons relationships with each other and the Sandovals were a very stark contrast to with everyone else. They treated the girls as much like family as they could anyone who wasn't their blood kin. Of course, that's what happens when you spend 2 months relying solely on each other for survival.

The four had arrived at the camp about a month after everyone else. They were surprised to find a group so large that looked so friendly. They'd run into some people before and no one had been particularly welcoming. This group was a haven.

Things were difficult at first. It was hard to get used to having more people around than just the four of them. The girls adapted quickly, the men not so much. Merle and Daryl were rude to others who would approach them and were their usual loud, raunchy, and cold selves, It didn't sit well with the leader of the large group, Shane Walsh. He was wary of these rednecks, though their companions seemed like nice enough girls and good assets. At one point Shane approached the girls about kicking out the Dixons and allowing them to stay. That was a mistake.

"No." Angelica said.

"If Merle and Daryl go, we go." Eliza added.

"What? Seriously?" He asked, shocked by their loyalty.

The girls nodded. They wouldn't abandon the Dixon's, not even for a place as good as this. They had all become incredibly close, like family almost, and you don't abandon family.

"Look, you girls are real sweet. Y'all shouldn't be hanging around such older men. Let alone these good for nothing rednecks."

Eliza's temper flared up then. She was about to open her mouth to call Shane more than a few colorful names, but Angelica spoke first.

"As much as we appreciate your concern, mister Walsh, we will associate with whoever we please. If Daryl and Merle are becoming too much for you to deal with, then we will handle them. We'll get them to pull their weight around here more. Thank you."

With her piece said, Angelica grabbed her sister's hand and the pair walked away. Shane was left standing alone, completely flabbergasted.

Angelica and Eliza began to walk back to their part of the camp. When they arrived, Eliza let go of her sister's hand and headed off to find Merle. Daryl noticed Angelica's sour expression the moment she sat at her seat by the fire. He wanted to ask her about what was bothering her, but thought it wiser to let her calm first. He sat there for a while staring at her from across the fire.

She was beautiful even when upset. Her straight, raven black hair fell to her lower back. Daryl wondered for a moment if it felt as soft as it looked. Speaking of soft, her body was perfectly so. She wasn't all bones and sharp angles, she was soft and curvy like a real woman should wasn't wearing anything special, a pair of light blue jeans and a tight plain black t-shirt, but it looked so good on her. Her eyes were what really got him, though. The way her dark brown orbs held all of her storming emotions. He had never seen anything so incredible.

"Daryl." She said, breaking him away from his thought.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"I need you and Merle to start helping around here more. If we wanna stay here, we need to pull our weight."

Daryl looked down at the fire and scoffed. He had seen Shane approach the girls while he was on his way back to camp, and knew full well where this little talk was coming from. He looked back up and noted the pleading look in Angelica's eyes. Dammit how can i say no when she's lookin' at me like that, he thought.

"Just maybe bring meat for the whole camp instead of just for us. Okay?"

Daryl sighed and nodded. He would have to talk to Merle about it. He knew that conversation wouldn't go too well, but he'd do it for the girls.

The talk went about as well as Daryl thought it would. Merle was adamant that they didn't need to stay at the camp and that they didn't owe the others anything, but Daryl knew better. This place was the best they would find, and the girls were happy. It was perfect, for now. It took some harsh words and a small fist fight, but Merle eventually agreed.

The girls were happy to see Daryl and Merle put in some effort. Others around camp began to notice too. Though no one around camp grew to particularly like the Dixon's, they were more tolerating once they began to pull their weight.

A few days later the women were sitting around peeling vegetables for dinner. They had been making light conversation.

"Why are you guys so comfortable around the Dixons?" One of the women, Lori, asked curiously.

Lori was good friends with her group's leader, Shane. They had known each other before the end. It was just her and her son, Carl. She had told the others that her husband had died, She seemed nice enough.

"Yeah, they seem insane. How do you stand them?" Andrea added.

Andrea and her sister, Amy, were good people in the girl's book. Andrea was a bit blunt, but always nice. Angelica laughed and shook her head at the ladies questions. Eliza giggled.

"They're not bad people, really. You just have to get to know them" Angelica said, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Yeah, besides the Dixon's have done a lot for us. Merle even saved my life once." Eliza stated.

"Merle? Really? That crazy old redneck? No way." Amy said, with a disbelieving scoff.

Eliza nodded and then launched into her tale.

"A small horde had come through our last campsite and we were forced to separate to survive. Merle and I got away on his motorcycle, while Angelica and Daryl narrowly escaped in our truck. Our last vehicle was left behind, as was half of our supplies.I was freaking out, of course, I didn't know if Angelica was dead or alive. We hadn't seen each other drive away." Eliza began.

*flashback*

"Angelica!" She called out.

Eliza couldn't find her sister anywhere, and she could hear the walkers approaching. She screamed as a hand placed itself over her mouth and an arm wrapped around her waist. She calmed a moment later when a familiar voice hissed in her ear,

"Dammit, girl, stop all that hollerin'."

It was Merle.

"Them damn walkers will hear ya."

He took his hand off her mouth, but didn't let her waist go. Eliza turned herself to face him.

"Merle, i can't find Angelica. She's out there somewhere, she could be hurt." She explained.

"I sent Daryl to go find ya sister. They'll be fine. We gotta get outta here." He replied.

Eliza turned away and tried to pull herself out of Merle's iron grip.

"No, we can't leave without them." She cried.

Merle tightened his grip and shushed her.

"We ain't got no choice." He said, pulling her toward his motorcycle that he had parked a few feet away. "Can't risk it. I sure as hell ain't gonna let ya die here."

Eliza let out a whimper and let Merle drag her away. She knew he was right. They had to leave or they'd die. She just hoped that her sister and Daryl had made it out okay.

*end flashback*

"I was a mess. I couldn't think straight, i couldn't breathe. I thought i'd lost my sister and someone i considered a good friend. I hadn't experienced that level of anxiety and fear since the end had begun. He'd kill me if he knew i was telling, but Merle managed to calm me down and help me through it." She continued.

*flashback*

They had escaped the horde and had been driving for miles now. Merle said it wasn't safe to stop. Eliza sobbed quietly into Merle's back She had been crying for a while now and showed no signs of letting up. Merle had kept his mouth shut, not knowing what to say to the heartbroken girl. He noticed a clearing a ways up and decided that would be a good place to stop for the night.

He pulled up into it, making sure they were far enough away from the road so as not to be seen by any geeks, or anyone who passed by that might have bad intentions. He pulled Eliza's arms off of his waist and went to work setting up camp. He knew there was no use asking her for help, she was too sad* to be useful at the moment.

When he was done, Merle walked back to his bike to grab Eliza. She was still sniffling a bit, but seemed to be done crying for the night. He motioned for her to follow him and led her back to the fire. He'd cooked up some meat they had pre-prepared a few days prior. Eliza took the food he offered, went to sit on a log by the fire, and ate in silence.

"It'll be alright, sugar." Merle said taking a seat by her on the log.

Eliza looked up at him.

"You know my brother ain't no pussy. He'll keep ya sister safe."

Eliza tossed her empty plate to the ground, and then swiftly threw her arms around Merle's neck. She buried her face in his chest and let out another cry.

Merle patted her back awkwardly at first. He'd never had a woman come to him for comfort. Sure, he'd had his fair share of ladies back home, but he only ever fucked 'em and left. Hell, he'd never wanted to give a woman comfort before. Yet, as Eliza held onto him and cried, he felt himself wrap his arms around her and hold her tight. Damn, he thought, if my little brother could see me right now i'd be getting so much shit.

Eliza relished the feeling of Merle's arms around her. It was exactly what she needed. Someone to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. She smiled through her tears. Who knew the person to do it would be Merle, she thought.

*end flashback*

"We found Daryl and Angelica a town over, getting gas so the could go out and search for us. We were so relieved. Of course, Merle didn't show it as much as i did, but we were happy as hell. Our families were safe."

*flashback*

Merle parked his bike in front of the gas station. His eyes widened slightly when he noticed Daryl's truck parked in the lot a little ways away. He figured his little brother had the same idea. Get gas and search for the missing before moving on. Merle nudged Eliza with his elbow.

"Look who's here, sugar." He said with a relieved chuckle.

Eliza sat up and peeked around behind Merle. She noticed Daryl's truck immediately and couldn't fight the grin that formed when she noticed who was sitting in the front seat.

"Angelica!" She squealed, unable to contain her happiness.

Angelica looked up from where she sat in Daryl's truck and let out a jovial shout.

"Eliza!"

The girls quickly hopped out of their respective vehicles and ran to each other. They broke down into sobs as they held each other in their arms. Merle got off his bike, and made his way toward the girls. He looked over to the gas station and spotted his brother.

"Merle, you old bastard!" Daryl called as he walked out of the gas station, his arms full of food and supplies.

He smiled softly, glad to be seeing his brother again.

"Did ya miss me, Darylina?" Merle teased, clapping a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Daryl huffed and shook his head at his brother's antics. The brothers shared a small laugh while the girls regaled each other with the events that happened when they were separated. All was right in the world again as the Dixon's and Sandoval's were reunited, Well, as right as things could be in the insanity that they called the world.

*end flashback*

"We were safe, but we had to move on. That's when we found you guys, and well, you know the rest." She finished.

Eliza laughed at the memory. It seemed so long ago now. Angelica took one of her sister's hands and linked their fingers. She looked over at the ladies.

"Merle's a cranky old asshole, but he saved my sister. He's a good man." Angelica. said.

As all the chatter came to an end, the ladies heard a ruckus a little ways away. They all tensed up for a moment, ready to fight or run if it was walkers.

"Liza! Where ya at, girl? Got some good meat for that sister of yours to cook up!" Merle hollered as he stepped out of the woods.

The women all let out a collective sigh of relief. Eliza then stood and handed her peeler off to Angelica.

"Well, ladies. That would be my knight in shining armor calling." Eliza said with a laugh.

The others watch as Eliza walked away and greeted Merle with smile and wave.

"She has no clue, does she?" Andrea asked, her eyes turning back to Angelica.

Angelica shook her head, watching as Merle threw an arm around her sister.

"Nope." She replied.

"Think she'll ever figure it out?" Lori pondered.

Angelica shrugged and turned back to resume her peeling.

"Eventually. Probably at the same time that old bastard realizes he's in love with her too." She murmured.

Angelica wasn't blind. She knew her sister was head over heels for Merle, and nothing she said would change that. She just never accounted for the fact that Merle would like her back. It was no matter, though. Her sister was an adult who could make her own choices. She wasn't one to judge anyway. Not that she could, considering she had her eyes on a redneck of her very own.

Days passed with ease in the camp. Everyone worked together, and with the Dixon's under control, life was good. It would never be the same as it was, but it was good. Eliza was happy. She had her family and her friends. It seemed like nothing could go wrong.

Eliza walked toward her tent, waving at Carol Peletier as she passed her. She was happy to see that Carol's husband, Ed, was nowhere in sight.

"Good morning, Eliza." Carol called. "Expecting company this morning?"

Eliza stopped in her tracks. What does Carol mean by that?, she thought.

"No, ma'am." She said, shaking her head.

"That's odd." Carol commented, sounding worried. "I could have sworn i saw Merle Dixon go into your tent a few minutes ago. I thought he was waiting for you."

Huh that's strange, she thought.

"Oh, uh, i must have forgotten about our plans." Eliza replied with a forced laugh.

She didn't want Carol to think ill of Merle, and she needed to go and check on him. He never came to her tent unless he really needed something. She excused herself from the conversation and quickly made her way to her tent.

She walked in a gasped at what she saw. Merle was on his knees rifling through her medical bag.

"What the hell, Merle?!" Eliza shouted.

Merle flinched, momentarily startled. He then quickly threw the pill bottles down, stood up, and turned to face her.

"I wasn't doin' nothin', sugar." Merle said, holding his hands up in surrender,

Eliza scoffed and pushed past him. She was quick to snatch up her pill bottles and shove them back in her bag, but not before glancing at them. They were mostly opioids, things that would get a person high. Of course, she thought, he's after a fix. She walked back toward him.

"Doing nothing my fucking ass, Merle! You were stealing my medications! What is your fucking problem?! We need those to help people who get hurt! Are you outta your goddamn mind?!" Eliza hollered, shoving him.

Merle let out a growl and approached her menacingly. He wasn't about to let some little girl push him around.

"Now, sugar, i wouldn't yell at me if i were you. Might get hurt." Merle hissed.

The two were interrupted as Shane approached the tent and walked in. Eliza and Merle looked over at him still fuming.

"Yall need to sort out this little lover's spat in a more quiet manner." Shane said.

"Stay out of this, Walsh! It's none of your fucking business!" Eliza shouted.

"Get on outta here, officer dipshit, this is between me and the lady!" Merle spat.

Eliza whipped back around to face Merle, ready to resume their argument. Shane, sensing he wouldn't be able to get a word in, walked away with a huff.

"You keep your mouth shut, mister! I'm not even halfway done with you!" Eliza bellowed.

"Now, sugar-" Merle murmured, trying to calm her down.

"No! I'm sick of your shit, Merle! You need to get your act together! I can't have you fucking up this place for us! We're happy here!"

Eliza couldn't fathom why he would want to ruin what they had there.

"We? Who the hell is this we? You n' your bitch of a sister? Huh? 'Cause i know damn well my brother n' i ain't happy here!" Merle yelled, getting in her face.

"Why do you have to be so difficult all the fucking time?" Eliza asked, leaning away from him and throwing her hands up in an exasperated fashion.

"Why do you have to be such a cunt?" Merle replied, closing the distance between them again.

The pair moved closer and closer to one another until they could practically feel each other's breath.

"What are you gonna do, little girl? Huh?" Merle muttered, licking his lips.

Merle's breaths were shallow as he waited to see what she would.

Eliza had no idea, but she'd be damned if she let the man she'd fallen for throw away their chance for happiness. Fallen for? Is it possible that i could be in love with Merle?, she thought. There was only one way to find out.

"This." Eliza murmured.

She pulled Merle into a rough kiss. Merle was shocked for a moment but quickly took control of the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and roughly pulled her against him. Eliza moaned. Merle took that moment to slip his tongue past her lips and taste her. Eliza loved the way his stubble tickled her face and the way he tasted, but she knew she had to pull away. She reluctantly broke the kiss.

"Me or the drugs, Merle. You have to choose. You better choose wisely, because once i'm gone you will never have this chance again." She said, removing herself from his arms.

Without giving him a chance to reply, Eliza left the tent. She knew Merle would need time and space to think, and she would give it to him. Merle stood right where she left him, frozen to his spot.

"Fuck." Merle muttered, rubbing his hand over his face.

He wasn't one for thinking his actions through, but Merle knew he couldn't afford to fuck up this time. Merle Dixon was in one hell of a bind. He'd have to leave, he'd need to clear his head. He gathered his thoughts and left the tent. He spotted his brother at his own tent a few feet away and walked over to him. He clapped a hand on Daryl's shoulder.

"Get your shit together, Darylina." He commanded. "We're going hunting for a few days."

Daryl looked up at his brother, noted his serious expression, and nodded. Merle walked away and went to gather his own supplies. Daryl went to grab his crossbow, passing Angelica on the way.

"Angelica." He called, walking after her.

She stopped and waited for him to catch up.

"What's up, Daryl?" She asked as they continued, keeping pace with one another.

"Just wanted to let ya know, Merle n I are goin' huntin' for a few days. Let ya sister know. Think they had some kinda fight. He's angrier than usual." He replied, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder.

Angelica raised an eyebrow. Fight?, she thought, this can't be good.

"Thanks for telling me, Daryl. I'll see you in a few days." She said, giving him a light pat on the back.

She'd make an attempt to hug him, but knew that Daryl was shy of physical contact. With that, the pair separated. Daryl headed off toward the woods to meet his brother, while Angelica went off toward the lake where her sister was no doubt sulking.


	3. Chapter 3

Angelica found her sister exactly where she expected. Eliza was sat by the edge of the lake, dipping her bare feet in the water and muttering to herself. Angelica could just barely make out her words as she approached.

"Stupid old redneck bastard."

Angelica chuckled. Eliza flinched and looked back, breathing a sigh a relief when she noticed it was only her sister.

"What did Merle do this time?" Angelica asked, walking over and taking a seat next to her sister.

Through all the good times, the girls had also had their fair share of fights with Merle.

He had made a few comments in the beginning of their friendship, after finding out their race, calling them 'Spics and Beaners as a joke. It had pissed Angelica off to no end. She had ended up trying to knocking his teeth out, but Eliza managed to get Merle to promise to quit the racism. Then there was the time he had made rather suggestive statements to a woman they had come across and basically run her off. Angelica nearly chewed his head off then. They were no stranger to Merle's flaws, but he was a friend all the same.

"It's not just what he did." Eliza explained. "It's what i did too."

A million possibilities ran through Angelica's head then. Each worse than the last.

"What did you do?" She asked as calmly as possible.

"I caught him looking through my medical bag for drugs." Eliza began.

Angelica frowned. She knew he had a bit of a problem, but she didn't think he'd stoop so low as to steal from Eliza.

"And then i kissed him."

"Why the hell would you do that?" She asked, loudly.

Eliza shushed her sister. Angelica ducked her head and smiled apologetically.

"I like him." Eliza admitted, turning her head back to stare at the water. " I may even love him."

Angelica wasn't shocked. Of course she knew her sister was hopelessly in love with the old fool.

"Wow." She murmured sarcastically. "When did this become a thing?"

Eliza looked down at her feet and sighed.

"I can't be sure, honestly. I know he's not the best person. He's a bit racist and a sexist, but God help me, Ange, i love him. Maybe it's because of the way he looks, i mean god his arms just kill me. Or the way he talks, that downright cute accent of his. Just the way he looks at me sometimes when he thinks I can't seem him. There's something in his eyes that reels me in." Eliza babbled.

Angelica sat still as stone as she listened to her sister speak.

"My feelings have been building ever since he saved me when we got separated. The way he held me that night. He just comforted me and let me cry. He could have pushed me away and left me alone, but he didn't."

She chuckled softly.

"I think that's the moment I knew that I could love him." Eliza continued, her voice growing watery.

Angelica placed an arm around her sister, and held her close.

"I didn't just kiss him, mind you. I also gave him a choice, me or the drugs."

Tears were flowing freely down her face, and her voice began to crack.

" Y'know what kills me about that?" She asked.

"What?" Angelica replied, pulling away to look at her sister.

"I know he's going to pick the drugs." She kept her voice low, for fear that if she spoke her fear too loud that it would come to pass.

Angelica knew her sister was hurting, and she knew nothing could make it better. Not until she got Merle's response.

"Yknow, i always knew we both liked older guys, but 50? Really? You're practically robbing the grave." Angelica joked, shoving her sister softly in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Eliza let out a laugh.

"Speaking of graves, here it is the end of the world, and i'm crying over man troubles."

The sister's worries dissolved into giggles. Eliza felt better, even if only for the moment. God could only know how the next few days would go. She wouldn't give up hope, though.

Four days passed before the Dixon's returned, and when they did everyone at camp grew on edge. Merle was being a bigger ass than usual, and it seemed like Eliza refused to go near him. The tension between the two was palpable. Angelica could hardly stand it. She hated seeing her sister upset, and couldn't stand Merle's behavior. She decided to have a talk with Daryl and see what they could do to help their siblings. She found him in his tent, cleaning his crossbow and arrows. She walked in and sat beside him.

"Did Merle tell you anything about what happened between him and Eliza?" She asked, bluntly.

Daryl shrugged.

"Merle n' I don't really talk about feelings. It's not a Dixon thing to do." He replied.

Angelica scoffed and crossed her arms. She knew Daryl and Merle weren't the biggest talkers, but they were close. They had each other's backs, so surely they talked about women to one another.

"Oh c'mon, he must have said something. Anything." She probed.

Daryl ceased his cleaning, and turned to face her.

"All he did when we was hunting was curse more than usual and mutter your sister's name every once in awhile." He said. "What's going on anyway?"

Angelica sighed and launched into the events her sister told her about. The drugs, the kiss, the ultimatum, Eliza's fears, everything. When she was finished he sat, unmoving, processing it all. He expected Merle to pull some shit once he found the drugs, but he didn't expect all of that.

"Do you think he will?" Angelica asked after a few moments of silence.

"Will what?" Daryl replied, confused.

"Choose the drugs over Eliza." She said.

Daryl shook his head.

"Nah, don't think he's that stupid."

He looked away from her. He wasn't sure if he was telling her the truth, and he knew his expression would give him away. Angelica knew he wasn't one to be touched, but she leaned over and lay her head on his shoulder anyway. She sighed.

"What if he breaks her heart, Daryl?" She murmured. "You know Eliza, she's emotional. She won't be able to take it."

"Won't happen. My brother ain't no fool. That sister of yours is the best damn thing that could ever happen to 'im." He replied. "In this world, with dead folks rising, we're all gon' need some happiness."

Angelica wrapped her hand around his bicep. She relished the feel of him, if only for a moment. Daryl stiffened for a second, before relaxing into her touch. He hadn't had anyone touch him like this in a hell of a long time.

"You're a good man, Daryl. You think so positively, and so highly of those you care for. I wish i was more like you."

Angelica kept her voice at a whisper, afraid to break whatever spell was over them. Daryl looked at her and smiled slightly.

"Nah, ain't a good man. Just doin' what's right."

Angelica looked up at him and smiled. As she looked into his eyes she was reminded of the last time they were able to sit and talk. It was months back, just before they had come to the camp and just after they had been reunited with their siblings. Oddly enough, Daryl was thinking of the exact same time.

She approached him as he sat on the back of the truck, skinning the few squirrels he and Merle managed to catch. They hadn't wanted to travel far from camp, for fear of being separated again, so they couldn't catch anything bigger.

"Daryl?" She asked.

He looked at her and nodded in greeting.

"Can we talk?"

He put down the animals and his knife, and gestured for her to continue.

"I just wanted to say thank you."

He tilted his head to the side, a look of confusion on his face.

"For what?" He asked.

"For keeping me safe." She replied.

She ran a hand through her hair and shuffled her feet awkwardly.

"I don't think i would have survived without you."

She looked up at him and was surprised to see Daryl looking at her and smiling. It was rare that he would smile completely. Oh he would give half smiles, smirks, and the like, but this was a genuine smile.

No one ever really thanked Daryl for what he did, and he felt something in him light up at her sincere thanks. He reached out toward and pulled her into his arms. He held her tight to him, and relished the feeling of her soft body against his.

They stayed like that for a few moments, before Daryl pulled away.

"Don't go getting any ideas from one hug, i still ain't one for that mushy junk or nothin'." He joked. "No go on, get, or we ain't havin' any meat for dinner."

Angelica laughed and shook her head as she left him to his work.

The pair sat in silence, cherishing each other's company as they relived old memories.

"Well, well, look at you two." Merle boomed, entering the tent and ruining their moment. "Next thing ya know, you'll be bumpin' uglies."

He let out a loud cackle. Angelica separated herself from Daryl and stood. Daryl cursed under his breath. I'm gonna get so much shit for this, he thought.

"Don't be so crude, Merle." Angelica huffed, pushing past him. "Daryl and i are just friends and you know that."

She left the tent without looking back. Afraid that if she did, the Dixon men would both see the blush inflaming her cheeks. Daryl turned to Merle, and punched him in the arm.

"Dammit Merle, what'd ya go an' do that for?!" He hollered.

"Woah calm it down there, Darylina." Merle replied, grinning.

Daryl was pissed. Merle always had to ruin good things for him.

"Just because you're having problems with your girl don't mean ya gotta make everyone else miserable!" Daryl blurted out.

He regretted his words the moment they left his mouth. Merle's playful expression washed away and was replaced with a look of genuine anger.

"Get this straight, little brother. I ain't having no problem with that girl. She don't mean nothing to me."

With a growl and a scathing look thrown his brothers way, Merle left the tent. Unaware of who was listening behind it.

Eliza felt like her heart had been ripped in half. She knew this outcome was a possibility, but she had hoped it wouldn't be true. She ran to her tent as she began to shake and sob. She didn't want to break down in front of everybody.

Minutes later, Angelica received word that her sister was seen rushing into her tent and heard sobbing. She made her way to her Eliza's tent as quick as she could. She barged in and found her sister lying in her makeshift bed, crying her eyes out. She rushed to her side and helped Eliza sit up.

"Eliza? Honey, what's wrong?" Angelica asked softly, moving the hair out of her sister's face.

"He doesn't want me, Ang. I heard him tell Daryl. He thinks i'm nothing." Eliza cried, throwing her arms around her sister.

Angelica held her sister as she cried. Her anger bubbling and boiling. Her thoughts ran wild. The situation needed to be resolved, and she was going to resolve it.

"That fucking does it." Angelica huffed under her breath.

After making sure her sister would be okay, she set off to find Merle and give him a piece of her mind. She found him sitting in a lawn chair around one of the small fire pits by his tent.

"Merle Dixon, you sorry son of a bitch!" She shouted.

He looked up at her from his seat, just in time to see her fist flying at his jaw. The force of her punch was enough to knock him out of his chair and onto the ground. Merle opened his mouth to curse at her, but she didn't give him a second to respond. She grabbed him by his vest and forced him to look at her.

"You listen here, asshole, i don't care what kind of issues you have. I don't care how much you hate yourself." She hissed. "My sister is in love with you, and i know for damn sure you love her too. Now get your shit together, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and go talk to her before i really hurt you."

With her piece said, she released him and stepped away so he could get up. He quickly hopped up to his feet and glared at her. His expression was hard, and his fists were balled up tight, but his anger didn't seem to fully reach his eyes.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"Her tent."

That was the only thing he needed before he headed off. Angelia watched him go. Sending up a prayer to anyone who would listen. Her sister deserved happiness. Especially in the kind of world they were living in.

Merle found her lying facedown on her bed, sniffling and muttering to herself. He cleared his throat to get her attention.

Eliza looked up at him, and glared hard. She pulled her hair out of her face, collected herself, and walked closer to him. Then she flew at him, her fists beating against his chest as she called him every mean name in the book.

"Liza! Ow! Quit that, girl!" He pleaded.

"No! You get out of here, Merle Dixon! You lost the right to talk to me! You said i meant nothing to you!" She screeched.

"Dammit, girl, i didn't mean it." He stated.

She stopped mid hit, and looked up at him confused.

"What? But you said-" She began.

"I know what i said!" He interrupted, shouting.

He rubbed his hand over his face in frustration. Merle Dixon didn't do feelings, and this girl gave him some intense ones. He didn't know how to process what was going on inside him. For her, though, he would try.

"I didn't mean it, sugar." He murmured.

He took her hands and led her out of her tent, towards the fire a few feet away. They sat down, facing each other, on a log before the fire. Eliza opened her mouth to speak, but Merle put a hand up to stop her.

"Let me talk now, sugar." He said.

Eliza looked at him curiously, her guard up. She had no idea what to expect from him.

"Ya know me, girl. I ain't good with this sort of mushy bullshit. Never have been. I don't like feelings or love or nothin' of the sort. But ya give me them things. Thoughts, feelings, things I ain't ever wanted or had. Hell, girl, i'm in love with ya." He admitted.

He looked down, afraid to see her reaction to his words. He only looked up when she finally spoke.

"Oh Merle," Eliza said with a bright smile on her face. "I love you too."

She launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.. He tensed for a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. In those moments, for them, everything was good and right with the world.

The couple stayed sat by the fire, lost in each other arms and thoughts, until someone approached them. Eliza noted that it was Glen, another person from the bigger group at the camp. Glen was a young, thin, korean man. He wasn't much older than her or Angelica, and he was very kind. He approached her and Merle warily.

Eliza knew he wasn't a big fan of her Dixon man. Merle's track record with people of other races wasn't exactly stellar, and Glen didn't like fighting with him. She smiled at him to ease his nerves and spoke before Merle could.

"Hello, Glen." She greeted. "Can we help you?"

"Hi, Eliza." He replied awkwardly. "Merle."

Merle rolled his eyes at the young man before him. He couldn't stand the kid. Not because he was some sort of chinamen, but because he had no real spine.

"Some of us are heading to Atlanta in the morning, and we wanted to know if you guys would like to come."

She looked at Merle who merely nodded, before turning back to Glen.

"We'd love to come along." She stated.

He muttered something along the lines of "cool", and then swiftly took his leave.

Eliza snuggled closer into Merle's side and looked out at the fire. She had this feeling in the pit of her stomach that going to Atlanta was going to bring about a change, Whether that change would be good or bad, well, she would have to see.


	4. Chapter 4

Eliza woke early the next morning. She couldn't fight the smile that made its way across her lips as her eyes adjusted to the morning light that streamed into the tent. She was in Merle's tent, lying in his arms. Something that, up until yesterday, she thought would never happen. Eliza sighed happily as Merle shifted and pulled her closer to him. She then immediately tensed up as she felt Merle's own "happiness".

"Good morning, Merle." She said with a laugh.

Merle grunted in response and shut his eyes tighter.

"Too early for mornin'." He grumbled, squeezing her waist.

Eliza wiggled herself against him and felt him tense. He moved his lips to the back of her neck and placed a kiss there.

"Trying to wake the beast, sugar?" He growled against her skin.

A shiver ran down her spine and circled to the pit of her stomach. She felt her cheeks grow warm with a blush. One of Merle's hands rubbed against her stomach for a moment before slowly making its way lower down. Eliza squirmed back against him once more, Merle groaned in her ear.

"Eliza, Merle!" Glen's voice called out, shattering their moment. "We'll be leaving for the city soon."

Merle cursed and Eliza barked out a laugh.

"We'll be ready in a few minutes, Glen. We'll meet you by the cars." "She replied.

His response was a soft "okay." followed by the sound of his retreating footsteps. Eliza pulled herself out from Merle's grip and got up to leave.

"Damn Chinamen." Merle hissed, sitting up.

Eliza rolled her eyes.

"He's Korean, Merle." She corrected.

Merle shrugged.

"Same difference." He replied.

She shook her head and took her leave of his tent to get ready on her own.

She passed her sister on her way.

"Morning!." She said.

She stopped next to her sister and hugged her close. Angelica laughed softly.

"I'm assuming everything went well last night, then?" Angelica asked.

Eliza nodded happily.

"Yes. Thank you, Ange. I know you had a big hand in all this, and I know Merle will never say it, but we're both very grateful."

"Anytime, sis."

"Well, I should go get ready." Eliza suggested.

Angelica tilted her head slightly, confused.

"Are you heading out with the group for Atlanta?" She asked.

Eliza nodded.

"Merle and I are going to gather more supplies and maybe look for new hunting gear."

Angelica's expression took on a serious tone.

"Be careful, little sister." She warned. "I know you've gone on these trips before, but you always have to remain vigilant. You need to come back to me."

Eliza hugged her sister again. A sprinkling or tears stung her eyes as she pulled away.

"I'll be careful, Ange." She assured. "I promise."

Angelica nodded.

"Good. Now you go get ready. I'll see you guys off after i'm done scrounging up some breakfast."

The sisters parted ways, both carrying a heavy burden in their hearts. Their worry for one another while they would be separated would be immense, but they trusted that everything would be okay.

Eliza met Merle, Daryl, and Angelica by the cars after breakfast. The whole camp had gathered to see off those who would go to Atlanta. Andrea and her sister Amy seemed to be sharing a heartfelt goodbye, as did the others in their group. Morales, a middle aged hispanic man, was hugging his wife and children goodbye. Glen was having a soft and low conversation with Shane and an elder man in the group, Dale. Jaqui and T-dog stood off to the side, packed and ready to go.

Merle took Daryl to the side for a moment. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and leaned in to talk low.

"You watch out for your girl, little brother." Merle stated. "You keep her safe, and i'll do the same for mine."

Daryl looked to his brother and nodded. He'd do his best to keep Angelica safe. Which would not be too difficult, as he found it harder and harder lately to keep his eyes off of her.

Angelica hugged her sister for the final time, and patted her on the back. She released her, tears in her eyes, and stepped back so she could go.

Eliza walked over to Merle, who placed an arm around her shoulder. Everyone had said their goodbyes, was packed up, and ready to a final wave, everyone gathered in the vehicles and took off for the city.

The ride to Atlanta was quiet and tense. Even Merle was being surprisingly quiet. They couldn't make much noise, in fear of attracting the walkers to them. When they arrived, they set up base in a shop and decided to split up. Merle and Eliza had been left on the roof to keep watch, while Glen and the others went to explore and gather supplies. Merle had started to get bored and restless. He took the shotgun he had brought, and began firing off into the crowd of the dead below to relieve his boredom. Eliza stood to the side, watching him make shot after shot. It didn't take long for her to hear the rest of the group rush up the stairs to the roof. She sighed and shook her head. This isn't gonna be good, she thought.

Morales was the first to come up, the others not far behind.

"Dixon, are you crazy!" He shouted.

Merle fired off one more shot, before turning to face the others.

"Y'all oughta be more polite to a man with a gun." He hollered, hopping down from the edge where he stood.

"Merle!" Eliza scolded.

He walked over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Relax, sugar, i'm only jokin'. " He laughed.

She knew he wasn't, and knew the others wouldn't believe so either.

T-dog approached them then. His face a clear picture of frustration.

"Man, you're wasting bullets we ain't even got! And you're bringing more of those things down on our asses! Just chill!" He shouted.

Eliza shook her head. Confronting Merle was definitely not the answer here. She knew it was too late to reason with him then. He placed a kiss on her head and removed himself from her side.

"Hey! It's bad enough I got him on my ass." He snapped, gesturing to Morales and then T-dog himself. "You think i'm gonna take orders from you? I don't think so."

Eliza knew this situation was getting out of hand very fast, and moved to step in. Glen reached over and held her back, shaking his head.

"You got something you wanna tell me, man?" T-dog said, clearly knowing what Merle wanted to say."

Morales placed a hand on T-dog's shoulder and attempted to pull him away from the argument, but T-dog merely shrugged him off.

"T-dog, leave it. It ain't worth it." Morales said.

He turned away from the argument and looked toward the rest of the group.

"Please, Eliza, get your man to cool down."

With a nod, Eliza pulled herself away from Glen's grip then and walked toward Merle.

"Merle, stop this." She pleaded, placing a hand on his arm.

Merle looked to her and shook his head, a stern look on his face.

"No, sugar, he wants to know." He replied, turning back to T-dog. "You wanna know the day?"

"Yeah, I do." T-dog stated.

"I'll tell you. It's the day I take order from a nig-"

Before he could finish his words, T-dog reached out to strike Merle. Merle blocked him with his gun and the two began to fight. The others began to shout, in fear of the damage Merle would inflict on T-dog. Eliza noticed the newcomer then, as he got in the middle of the fight. He went down quick, though, as Merle sucker punched him.

Everyone else was too afraid to intervene for fear that Merle would beat them too. Eliza took it upon herself then to stop the fight. Merle had T-dog on the ground and was laying hits to him as T-dog tried to block his face. She grabbed Merle by the collar of his shirt and with all of her strength threw him off of T-dog. He landed on his ass on the ground a few inches away from T-dog.

"Merle Dixon, that is enough!" She spat, moving to check on T-dog's injuries.

"Cmon now, sugar, he deserved it." Merle attempted to justify. "He was eggin' me on."

As he tried to rise up from the ground, he was stopped by the newcomer. Before Merle or Eliza could process it, the man quickly handcuffed Merle to one of the pipes on the roof.

"What? Who the hell are you?" Eliza asked, shocked.

"Officer friendly." He replied, not turning his eyes away from Merle. "Look here. Things are different now. There's no difference in people. There's only dark meat and white meat. There's us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart."

Eliza listened to the man and processed his words. He was right. They did need to pull together, especially if they wanted to make it in this new world.

"Screw you, man." Merle muttered. "These people mean nothin' to me. Only ones who matter are me and her."

He raise his non cuffed hand to point at Eliza. Eliza noticed the man appraise her for a moment. He then turned back to Merle.

"That your woman?" He asked.

Merle nodded.

"What's it to you, pig?" He spat.

Eliza's heart leapt into her throat as the man cocked the gun in his hand and pressed it to Merle's forehead. Merle didn't even flinch.

"If you wanna be able to go be with her after this, and get these cuffs off, then you better behave."

Eliza made her way to Merle's other side and grabbed his cuffed hand. He looked up into her eyes and noted the pleading look she held.

"Do what he says, Merle." She murmured. "Please."

He paused for a second, weighing his options, then nodded.

"Fine." He huffed, looking back toward the officer.

The officer reached into his pocket and handed Eliza the key. He then stepped off to look over the edge of the roof. Eliza noted that Morales followed and the two held a small conversation. As she uncuffed and helped Merle up, she wondered who he was and what the officer's intentions were.


	5. Chapter 5

It was getting later, and the group was no closer to getting off of the roof and out of the building. Eliza and Merle sat on the floor, leaning against the pipe the officer had handcuffed Merle to.

Merle rubbed his wrist, glad to be rid of the cuffs. He didn't like the memories those things had brought back.

Eliza leaned into Merle, watching as the others tried to come up with a plan. T-dog sat on the ground opposite of them, fiddling with the radio.

"How's that signal?" Morales asked.

"Like Dixon's brain, weak." T-dog replied.

Merle growled under his breath. Eliza squeezed his arm, a silent plea for him to behave. He didn't respond to her. Instead, he merely shot T-dog the finger.

Morales shook his head.

"Keep trying." He urged.

Eliza listened as the other talked. Morales explained about the city to the officer, and they continued to try and think of a way out of the building.

"Good luck with that." Merle grumbled. "These streets ain't safe in this part of town from what i hear. Ain't that right, 'Liza?"

Eliza looked over at the others and nodded.

"He's right. It won't be easy getting out of here." She said.

"The streets ain't safe...what about under the streets?" The officer asked.

That sparked something within the others. Morales had Glen check the alley and they soon began to develop a plan. It was decided that most of the group would head to the basement and look for sewer entrances, while Eliza, Merle, and T-dog remained on the roof to keep watch and call for help.

"Anybody out there? I'm hoping to hear somebody's voice, cause i'm getting sick and tired of hearing mine."

It had been about half an hour, and the group still hadn't returned from the basement. T-dog had been trying to radio camp the entire time. The static of the radio was starting to get on Merle and even Eliza's nerves.

"Yeah, well that makes three of us." Eliza snapped.

Merle looked at her curiously. It wasn't like her to snap at people, not that he didn't like being too friendly with any of the other folks in the camp. For more reasons than one.

Eliza sighed. The heat and the scuffle from earlier were starting to get to her.

"My bad, T." She apologized

T-dog nodded at her.

"Gotta try and stay positive, Eliza." He encouraged.

Merle snorted.

"I'm positive." He quipped. "Positive we are all fucking stuck here."

They lapsed back into silence after Merle's statement. Eliza leaned into Merle's embrace as her mind ran wild with negative possibilities. If Merle was right, she would never get to see her sister again.

She was brought back from her thoughts as the rest of the group returned. Their plan to use the sewers was a bust. They would have to come up with a new plan, and fast. The walkers were closing in on them.

The officer suggested the trucks from the construction site, but even that seemed hopeless. Until, the officer suggested something very...unsettling. It happened to be covering themselves in walker guts. Unwilling to completely leave the radio and roof until the theory was proven, Eliza and Merle were left behind to keep watch. When it was proven to work, the rest of the group would send someone back to retrieve them.

Eliza and Merle watched from above as it seemed to work. The others had made it through and to the truck. Glen looked up at them from the ground and signaled for them to come down. Just as they were about to move, they felt the rain, and then everything quickly went to shit.

The others began to get cornered and they barely made their way out to the truck. They couldn't make it back to the building. Eliza and Merle watched in shock and horror as the others drove away. Leaving them behind to save themselves.

Merle was the first to snap back into reality. His breathing grew heavy as panic began to set in. He knew their odds of survival, and they were not good. Their weapons couldn't take out even a fourth of the herd surrounding the building.

"We're gonna die." He muttered.

Eliza was broken out of her daze by his words. She turned to him, her eyes growing wide, and shook her head.

"No, no, we'll be okay." She said, attempting to lift his spirits.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, his eyes wild with fear, and shook her.

"I can't go out like this, Liza! I can't!"

It was like he hadn't even heard her. She moved to approach him.

"Merle, honey, you have to calm down." 

He whipped around to face her, flailing his fists around.

"I can't calm down, god dammit!" He hollered. 

Eliza stepped back and narrowly dodged one of his fists. She looked into his eyes and saw nothing of the brave man she had come to know. Tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Merle, stop! You're scaring me!" She cried.

Her words knocked him out of his panic. Merle shook his head and looked at her with clear eyes. His Eliza was shaking and crying. Gone was the strong young woman who had stolen his heart, and he had caused it. He pulled her into his arms and shushed her as sobs began to rock her body.

"Don't cry now, sugar. Ol' Merle is sorry for scaring you." He cooed.

He held her until her shaking had ceased and her cries were reduced to hiccups. He pulled back to look at her and placed a hand under her chin. He tilted her face up so she would look at him. Eliza looked up at him and smiled softly.

"You alright now, sugar?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Much better." She replied. "I'm sorry for all the crying."

Merle shook his head.

"'S alright, girl. I'm the one who made you cry."

Eliza hugged Merle to her. She knew he was just as scared as she was, but they had to be strong for each other. She pulled away from him and took his hand. She led him to the edge of the roof and had him lay down on the ground with her. Eliza curled into his side, and Merle placed an arm around her shoulder. They lay there in silence, watching each other's chests rise and fall.

Merle was the first to speak again.

"I woulda married you, yknow." He stated.

Eliza smiled wryly.

"No you wouldn't have." She said.

Merle chuckled.

"Nah, I wouldn't have. But I woulda had the chance." He replied.

Eliza turned to him and placed a kiss on the stubble on his chin. A soft smile graced her lips as she imagined what her life could have been like if she had met Merle before the end of it all.

She would have liked him still. She had always been attracted to older men and trouble. Merle just happened to be both. She would have played hard to get, but she'd have given in the moment he kissed her. She would fall for him just as fast as she did now.

Merle watched her as she daydreamed. He had thought about it too. What it would be like to have a woman like her back before the dead began to rise. He woulda tried to have her in his bed the minute he saw her. There was no chance in hell that she would have loved or even liked him back then. He was no good. He ain't ever been a good man. He'd grown up troubled, and he'd stayed that way his whole life. For her, though, he wanted to change. Being the way he was got them stuck there. She was gonna die because of him.

"It's my fault." He proclaimed. "We're gonna die here, and it's all my fault."

Eliza shook herself out of her daydream and looked at him confused.

"Merle, this isn't your fault." She stated.

"It is." He replied. "My big ol' mouth got us in this mess. I swear, Liza, if we make it out alive, I'm gon' get better. Imma be a better man."

Well, he thought, i'm gonna try. Merle looked to the sky and began to pray. He'd never been one for believing in God. Faith had always been Daryl's thing. He didn't know even know if there was a God watching after them all now. What kind of god lets the dead eat the living? Though, he supposed, most of the world did deserve it. Most, but not her. Not his Eliza. She deserved to live. So that's what he prayed for. He prayed that, even if he didn't get to live, that she did. But god did he want to live too.

Suddenly, they heard a loud bang and shuffling from outside the other side of the roof. They looked over and the access door was shaking. Someone or something was trying to get onto the roof.

Eliza and Merle were quick to rise. He placed an arm around her waist and placed one final kiss on her lips. He let her go once it was over, and she went and grabbed her machete. Merle cocked his gun and aimed for the door. Eliza joined him at his side and they waited. They were ready for whatever would come through the door.


End file.
